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The Personal Care Products Council has partnered with SAI Global to create a voluntary, customized supplier training and assessment program designed to verify cosmetic and personal care products manufacturers and suppliers operate in accordance with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) that promote manufacturing quality excellence. This news was released at The Council’s annual Science Symposium, which was held in Newark, NJ in October (for more coverage of the event, see p. 101 in this issue).

The Personal Care Manufacturing Assessment Program (PCMAP) is based on widely accepted international standards ISO 22716 Cosmetics Good Manufacturing Practices, which provides guidelines relating to the production, control, storage and shipment of cosmetic products. PCMAP is unique in that it also incorporates key elements of ISO 9001 as well as includes multiple risk level categories where suppliers may be evaluated based on the perceived risk level of the product or component provided.

Quality assurance leaders from across the industry participated in the creation of PCMAP. With the objective to reduce wasteful, redundant auditing, the industry recognizes that assessments based on ISO standards will enable both suppliers and their customers to focus on creating the innovative and effective products consumers demand.

FDA Meeting on Microbiological Safety Issues in CosmeticsThe US Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) planned to hold a public meeting in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 30, 2011, on microbiological safety issues relevant to cosmetic products.

The purpose of the meeting was to provide stakeholders an opportunity to present information to the agency regarding a variety of cosmetic microbiological safety issues, including microbiological testing of cosmetics; types of preservative systems and how to test their effectiveness; the identity and prevalence of microorganisms that pose specific health risks in finished products; routes of exposure to microorganisms and the corresponding infective doses; product and packaging characteristics that affect microbial growth and risk of infection; consumer subpopulations that may be at greater risk of infection from cosmetic products; adverse events associated with microbial contamination of cosmetics; and areas where FDA guidance may be useful.

Purity Cosmetics Recalls EyeshadowPurity Cosmetics, San Jose, CA, is conducting a voluntary product recall of its 100% Pure Fruit Pigmented Cocoa Plum Eyeshadow. This recall has been initiated due to Pseudomonas luteola found in Lot #1B11 of the 100% Pure Cocoa Plum Eyeshadow. Use of this item can cause peritonitis, cellulitis and bacteremia. The voluntary recall is being made with the knowledge of the Food and Drug Administration.

This cosmetic item was produced at Radical Cosmetics, New Brunswick, NJ. Other random products tested that were produced at a facility owned and operated by Purity Cosmetics were all found safe and free of any bacteria. Purity began shipping this product on or after March 7, 2011. Up to 300 units of this item were distributed to retail stores in California, Florida, New York, Indiana, Texas, Illinois, Oregon, Minnesota, Virginia, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Nevada and Tennessee.

In a release sent out by FDA, Purity said: “As stated earlier, high quality, purity and safety is our top priority so this is extremely devastating for us—even though this item was not produced or filled at our own facilities. But since it bears our name, we take as much responsibility as if we made it ourselves. We are taking every measure to ensure the quality and purity of all our third party vendors who make products for our brand so that this never happens again. We are extremely sorry and hope that the actions of our 3rd party, contract manufacturing vendor did not make you lose faith in our brand. Most items (most of the skin care, bath & body care, hair care) are produced in our own facilities which are of the highest quality, purity and of safety.”

CSI Appoints Ames & Gough New Program ManagerConsumer Specialties Insurance Company’s Risk Retention Group has appointed Ames & Gough Insurance/Risk Management, Inc. (A&G) as the new program manager for the CSI program. CSI had been working with Hanna, Kremer & Tilghman Insurance (HKT). HKT was sold to another agency that has decided to withdraw from the program management business.

The transition to A&G was effective Dec. 1, 2011.

“We had an excellent relationship with HKT and thank them for all of their hard work in keeping our policyholders in good hands with CSI,” said Chris Cathcart, CSI president and president and CEO of the Consumer Specialty Products Association. “We wish them well under their new leadership and will look forward to our new relationship with Ames & Gough.”

As the new program manager for CSI, Ames & Gough will coordinate all risk selection and recruitment, serve as national broker, and issue policies for CSI. A&G’s primary objectives will be to serve current policyholders and seek additional participants for CSI.

“We are confident that A&G will continue to provide the high level of client-focused service to our existing policyholders, and the agents/brokers that work with them, that they have come to expect from the CSI program,” Cathcart concluded.